"I don't think tipping was particularly racial … It was more a matter of customers showing off their wealth," said Gerald Friedman, professor of economics and history at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and associate editor of the scholarly journal Labor History.

Nevertheless, activists pushing for a higher minimum wage have pushed the argument now that their movement has gained ground. Nineteen states are set to phase in higher minimum rates this year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. That has brought more attention to the exception for tipped employees in most minimum wage laws. Those employees, mostly in the service industry, can legally be paid less the standard minimum on the grounds that their tips make up for it.

Minimum wage fans have argued that that's not merely wrong but a vestige of 19th racism...

35 comments:

The problem with minimum wage is that it prices a lot of people out of the job market, and we all know where those jobs go. If that wasn't true, then the minimum wage should be $1000/hour, and everybody would get the same. The only thing that kills minimum wage laws, as recently happened in Baltimore, is when it negatively affects tax revenue or the viability of government budgets. Then, suddenly they understand. When will people learn that they don't really care about you, unless it helps them, just like everybody else.

Tipping is screwed up. Why some jobs and not others? And tipping by percentage is crazy. I took four of us out for dinner and drinks at the "Top of the World" in the Stratosphere last week (the best fillet mignon I ever ate). In less than an hour, the bill was $480 + $100 tip. Our waitress was fine, but nothing great. She had five tables, some with much bigger parties. That could easily run to a couple grand an hour for her! I love it up there. The view is amazing, but I felt used. I regularly tip a good Uber driver a C-note, becuase I have it, they need it, and it's very rewarding to make someone's day who isn't expecting it. I remember what it was like being broke. There is just no such reward for me to do it when it's expected. It's the same problem as romance on Valentines Day.

It's also the same problem with government handouts. People expect it, so they don't appreciate it, feel no gratitude, and have no problem demanding even more from complete strangers who owe them nothing.

We are both over-tippers. It sounds like Bags is the same. We remember what it was not to have it and if you can throw an extra couple of bucks to someone who really needs it you know you have done something to really help someone out.

Tipping is important in a lot of things. As bags says with the Uber driver. Since they actually pick you it is important. The call goes out and various drivers can pick up the call. If they know you are a good passenger and a good tipper you never have to wait. You would get the same guy. I have a guy who jumps to take me out to Long Island all the time even though he can come back empty. It is worth it.

Some other people who it pays to tip are you UPS and Post Office carriers. They have a tough back breaking job. I just don't tip them at Christmas. I throw them a tip when they do me a favor. Not every time. But every other time or every third time. I have their cell phone numbers and they text me when they get a package for me so I don't miss out. That is vital in a small business. You don't want your packages to go back in the system to get all beat up again in the processing.

I used to tip when I made enough money. Now, that I just don't make enough to be generous, good service may get a good social media review... is that the next thing that might be racist? If it isn't already.

I have no doubt that the $16 figure is being broadcast, especially considering it's just a little above the $15/hr attempting to be sold. It's like that salesman that tells you even though this thing cost a lot, it should cost even more.

A look at the history of the minimum wage and using an inflation calculator reveals that:

The minimum wage was started in 1938 at $0.25/hr.What cost $0.25 in 1938 would cost $4.33 in 2016.

Or you could take the minimum wage in 1976 when I graduated from H.S. of $2.30.What cost $2.30 in 1976 would cost $9.85 in 2016.

The minimum wage has risen much faster than inflation, unless you pick your dates very carefully. Then there is the question of how much inflation was actually caused by the faster and faster rising minimum wage. It has fed itself, which means it actually has cancelled out much of it's own benefit to wage earners, and inflation is an especially regressive tax.

I generally identify the cost of inflation to the cost of a Buick. In 1970 a Buick Lesabre cost $3000, a 2017 Buick Lacrosse costs $32000 approximately 10 times as much. In 1970 the minimum wage was $1.60 an hour. That's where I came up with $16.00.

It's hard to judge prices by a basket of goods. Foods are subsidized , a gallon of milk is probably close to the 1971 price. Electronics generally are very expensive initially and drop dramatically in price.

Health insurance is through the roof. I paid 4 dollars a month in 1970. With Medicare and supplementals today I will be paying close to $400 dollars a month.

The Feds are currently subsidizing many minimum wage earners. If tax payers are paying the difference then the minimum wage is too low.

Trooper and I are totally simpatico on tipping. I have told my daughter, nieces, etc. if a guy is rude to a waiter, DUMP HIM, he's no one to have a relationship with. And, like Trooper says, I tip garbage men, newspaper, delivery, etc. As much as anything it makes me feel good to make someone happy.

I worked for tips in the family restaurant, newspaper delivery, bar tending and caddying. As a young man I learned a lot about adults delivering papers[I had to collect weekly] waiting tables and caddying. A Jamaican prostitute and her loser white husband were one of my newspaper customers. She would give blow jobs in the local dive bar bathroom for $5. She would show me her tits for my tip. A good show, and she would give me a little shimmy. Even got to touch them at Christmas. I was just going through puberty so it was like a C-note tip to me.

For a fair idea of inflation, I think you need to compare basic necessities of comparable utility and benefit. A loaf of bread today is about the same utility and benefit as one 50 years ago, but a modern automobile like everything else is much better than back then. Same with a telephone, a TV, medication, etc. An American in poverty today lives a longer, easier healthier, and safer life with more options and better everything than a king did 100 years ago. We want things that not only are better today, but cost much more. Minimum wage, if there is one, should be based on needs - not wants. A person on minimum wage 50 years ago could survive, but little more. Today they can afford amazing technology, entertainment, and convenience even the wealthy could not back then. Minimum wage was devised to protect people from real poverty that no longer exists in this country.

bags, I believe Sasha simply got a shot and a beer as tip. But, I don't know. Her drinking prowess was legendary. I also delivered newspapers to Mack's Grill, where Sasha worked as a bar fly. Back then, there were no lotteries, you played the numbers, aka Italian Lottery, policy game, etc. w/ a bookie. Every newspaper carried the US Treasury balance, issued by the Treasury Dept. daily. Well, the last 3 numbers of the Treasury balance was that day's number. A nationwide legit source for the winning number. It was expected as I walked in the Mack's Grill to yell out the daily number, w/ the inevitable groans of "just missing" the number by the Ice Man Cometh patrons.

I watched it. And I found it hard to watch. Because the dude is boring. His argument is boring. And all comments on YouTube from non-Americans in agreement are equally boring. For myself, the interesting part is how Mr Orange self-identifies as tattle-tale rat little bitch and the giant arrow that appeared and went bink bink bink with printed words reading "character + plot development here." Nice touch.

Tip heavily. What the heck.

One of my favorite new forms is buy the whole place a pizza. A BIG one.

Then tip the guy heavily who delivers it.

John Gruenzwik and I stopped by a sushi place in Washington Park area called Japon, odd, because that is Japan in Spanish. This was the first time we sipped sake and it actually tasted good. The whole thing was good. We had a great time. Then we're walking back to the car, we're a block away and turning the corner and right there the waiter, a little guy, I realized out there on the street, rushing to catch us to return an obvious error. Surely John didn't intend to leave such a large tip. John said, "Nope. No mistake. That's yours." And the guy freaked the f out. He properly freaked out right there on the street. I still have no idea how much cash John gave him or what ohn saw in the service, nothing sticks out, nothing was mentioned. It's baffling. And now John is dead.

I think tipping largely depends where you are in life.

My own mother was a horrible tipper. She worked for tips herself for awhile there and she was unsympathetic to tipping beyond 10%.

As she aged she took it upon herself as her duty to ensure we do not overtip. She'd actually swipe some of the waitress's tip that we left. She habitualized that dreadful behavior. She made us all cross by continuously doing that for a very long time.

Then as she aged further she began overtipping everybody inappropriately. Nurses in hospitals. Clerks at businesses. Grocery cashiers. Tire salesman. Hatch Chile roaster. Often amusing, still a complete reversal to her previously troubling behavior.

When I go out by myself the wait person must serve my table as if there were two. The wait person is losing out by me being alone. So for next time, I tip as if there are two. To compensate.

And the whole time I'm thinking, "I don't even have to clear the table. I don't have to do the dishes. I don't have to put them away. I don't have to wipe everything clean. I didn't have to cook this. I don't have to clean those pots and utensils and stove and floor."

The krauts don't tip? Its probably because in Europe you don't tip, its included as part of the bill or considered insulting.

Myself, I try to tip generously, but not over do it. Usually give 20-25%. Funny thing, is when we go out to lunch -at work, the female and minority co-workers are very stingy with the tips, even though the help is usually minority and female.

And my wife is East Asian. You have to threaten her to get a tip out of her.